1 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,100 Hi everyone. Welcome back to the Daily 2 00:00:13,100 --> 00:00:16,000 gospel. Exegesis podcast were all about 3 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:17,000 helping. You understand? 4 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,300 The Gospel reading from today's mass and we want to give you an 5 00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:22,800 idea of the literal sense of the text. 6 00:00:23,100 --> 00:00:25,100 What did it mean in its original context? 7 00:00:25,100 --> 00:00:27,000 Why did the author to certain words? 8 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,800 What was Jesus getting at? When he was saying certain 9 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:31,400 things? So that's where we should start 10 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,000 as Catholics. And this is the only Catholic 11 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,700 podcast out there where every single day we're giving you the 12 00:00:36,700 --> 00:00:40,300 tools to do that to understand the literal sense of scripture 13 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:42,400 now. Today, we have a really 14 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:45,400 interesting reading and it's particularly important that we 15 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,300 do an exegesis on it properly. Because for many people, this is 16 00:00:49,300 --> 00:00:51,700 one of the hardest passages in all of the gospels. 17 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,600 And certainly many people would say that this is the hardest 18 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,900 Parable to interpret. So let's start with reading the 19 00:00:58,900 --> 00:01:02,400 text, Luke. Chapter 16, verses 1 to 13. 20 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:08,000 Jesus said to his disciples, there was a rich man and he had 21 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,500 a steward denounced to him for being wasteful with his 22 00:01:11,500 --> 00:01:15,300 property, he called for the man and said, what is this? 23 00:01:15,300 --> 00:01:19,100 I hear about you draw me up an account of your stewardship 24 00:01:19,100 --> 00:01:21,900 because you are not to be my Steward, any longer? 25 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,400 Then the steward said to himself now that my master is taking 26 00:01:26,408 --> 00:01:31,900 their stewardship away from me. What am I to do dig, I'm not 27 00:01:31,900 --> 00:01:35,100 strong enough, go begging. I should be too ashamed. 28 00:01:35,900 --> 00:01:39,600 Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am 29 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,600 dismissed from office, there will be some to welcome me into 30 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:45,600 their home's. Then he called his master's 31 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:50,300 debtors, one by one to the first he said, how much do you owe my 32 00:01:50,300 --> 00:01:54,900 master one hundred measures of olive Oil was the reply, the 33 00:01:54,900 --> 00:02:00,100 steward said here, take your bond, sit down straight away and 34 00:02:00,100 --> 00:02:04,500 write fifty to another. He said, and you sir, how much 35 00:02:04,500 --> 00:02:07,500 do you owe? One hundred measures of wheat 36 00:02:07,500 --> 00:02:11,600 was the reply. The steward said here, take your 37 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:16,500 bond and write eighty the master praised, the dishonest Steward 38 00:02:16,500 --> 00:02:20,200 for his astuteness. For the children of this world 39 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:22,500 are more astute in dealing with their own. 40 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,300 Kind then are the children of light. 41 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,200 I tell you, this use money tainted, as it is to win you 42 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:32,800 friends. And thus make sure that when it 43 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,700 fails you they will welcome you into the tents of Eternity. 44 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,200 The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in 45 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,900 great. The man who is dishonest in 46 00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:49,100 little things, will be dishonest in great if then, you cannot be 47 00:02:49,100 --> 00:02:53,400 trusted with money that tainted thing who will Trust you with 48 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:57,500 genuine riches and if you cannot be trusted with what is not 49 00:02:57,500 --> 00:03:00,100 yours. Who will give you, what is your 50 00:03:00,100 --> 00:03:03,500 very own? No servant, can be the slave of 51 00:03:03,500 --> 00:03:06,000 two masters. He will either either hate the 52 00:03:06,008 --> 00:03:10,200 first and love the second or treat, the First with respect. 53 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:14,900 And the second with scorn, you cannot be the slave, both of 54 00:03:14,900 --> 00:03:19,600 God, and of money. So that is our text for today. 55 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,600 As you can see, it's a fairly complex one and it's not always 56 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,500 entirely clear. What, what is going on here. 57 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,000 The best way to understand Parables, and particularly with 58 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,500 this one is to think about what's the main point Jesus 59 00:03:32,500 --> 00:03:34,200 wants to make. Usually, there's one particular 60 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,900 point, he has in mind, and we should always keep that in the 61 00:03:37,900 --> 00:03:41,300 center. Otherwise we might Start to make 62 00:03:41,300 --> 00:03:43,000 interpretations that aren't really. 63 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,600 What Jesus was trying to get a particularly if we just pick and 64 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,600 choose certain lines of this Parable, without keeping the 65 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,400 whole Parable in context, we can get a bit lost. 66 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:56,100 The best way to understand this passage today is by starting at 67 00:03:56,100 --> 00:03:57,800 the bottom, by starting at verse 9. 68 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,100 Because as Jesus does with many of his Parables though, not all 69 00:04:01,100 --> 00:04:03,200 of them. But with many of his Parables at 70 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,000 the end, he tells you the point. He was trying to make. 71 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,900 He usually says therefore this is what you should take away 72 00:04:08,900 --> 00:04:11,400 from parable. And that's what he does in verse 73 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:15,000 9. So verse 9 says, I tell you this 74 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,500 use money tainted, as it is to win you friends. 75 00:04:19,300 --> 00:04:23,100 So the overall teaching of this Parable is that we need to use 76 00:04:23,100 --> 00:04:26,900 money well in order to get into eternal life, that's the meaning 77 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:28,700 of the parable. So I'll say it again, if we can 78 00:04:28,700 --> 00:04:31,600 keep this in mind, it will help us with the rest of the text. 79 00:04:31,900 --> 00:04:35,600 The overall teaching of the parable is that we need to as 80 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,600 Christians use money. Well in order to get into 81 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,800 eternal life. And we know that the focus here 82 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,700 is basically on money because G, Luke goes on to tell us straight 83 00:04:45,700 --> 00:04:49,200 after this, that the Pharisees are lovers of money. 84 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,700 So in this section, Jesus is going to do various Parables 85 00:04:52,700 --> 00:04:54,100 that have to do with using money. 86 00:04:54,100 --> 00:04:57,500 Well, and this is one of them. Let's go back to verse 1. 87 00:04:57,500 --> 00:05:01,400 So Jesus said to his disciples. So the audience here is probably 88 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,600 those who already understand some things about the kingdom. 89 00:05:05,700 --> 00:05:09,300 Jesus is now going to tell the parable of the dishonest Steward 90 00:05:09,300 --> 00:05:13,100 as From cold. He says there was a rich man who 91 00:05:13,100 --> 00:05:15,900 had a steward. So there's the rich man's like, 92 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,800 the owner and he has a steward who managed his master's estate? 93 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,600 And he was denounced to him for being wasteful with his property 94 00:05:25,700 --> 00:05:27,300 or more. Literally, you can translate 95 00:05:27,300 --> 00:05:31,400 that as charge was were brought to him that this man was wasting 96 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,400 his Goods. So it appears the steward is not 97 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,000 making good use of the Masters money and estate. 98 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,500 He's wasting his master's good much like a prodigal son. 99 00:05:40,500 --> 00:05:43,100 Remember he gets his father's inheritance and then he wastes 100 00:05:43,100 --> 00:05:45,600 it that was in the previous chapter. 101 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,300 Verse 2, he called for the man and said, what is this? 102 00:05:49,300 --> 00:05:53,000 I hear about you draw me up an account of your stewardship. 103 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,100 Or more, literally their turn in the account of your stewardship. 104 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,800 Basically, the master here says, hand over your badge, that's the 105 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,800 equivalent of what he's saying. He's saying you're done, give me 106 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,600 your rights, give me your paperwork because you're 107 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:08,400 finished, you're not working for me anymore. 108 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,800 And that's what he says because you are no longer to be my 109 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:16,100 Steward verse 3. Then the steward said to himself 110 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,100 now that my master is taking the stewardship from me. 111 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:23,100 What am I to do dig, I'm not strong enough, go begging. 112 00:06:23,500 --> 00:06:27,500 I Be too ashamed. So the servant here the steward 113 00:06:27,500 --> 00:06:30,300 is he knows he needs to find a new way to make money. 114 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:32,900 He doesn't think he's going to be strong enough to work in 115 00:06:32,900 --> 00:06:35,400 construction and Deke. So he says, that's not an 116 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:39,300 option, but he also doesn't want to be a bigger either because in 117 00:06:39,300 --> 00:06:41,900 that culture was shameful to be a bigger that is true. 118 00:06:42,700 --> 00:06:45,300 So he decides to come up with another plan here and as we'll 119 00:06:45,300 --> 00:06:48,500 see, here is a fairly sort of selfish, although very clever 120 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,700 Steward in terms of his plan. So he comes up with a plan B in 121 00:06:52,700 --> 00:06:55,600 case he can't get a job. Job verse 4. 122 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,900 Ah, I know which I will do to make sure that when I'm 123 00:06:58,900 --> 00:07:02,700 dismissed from office, there will be someone to welcome me 124 00:07:02,700 --> 00:07:06,300 into their home. So he decides that he might not 125 00:07:06,300 --> 00:07:08,800 be able to get another job and he comes up with a back-up plan 126 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,000 to make sure that there'll be other people in his life, who 127 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,700 will welcome him into his home into their homes and support 128 00:07:15,700 --> 00:07:17,000 him. This is his plan. 129 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,000 He's going to use his financial skills to make some friends who 130 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,200 will welcome him into their home and support him if required. 131 00:07:24,700 --> 00:07:26,600 So, he starts his plan verse five. 132 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,300 He called his master's debtors, one by one. 133 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,600 So he's calling all the people who are either Master money, 134 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:38,100 basically, to the He said how much do you owe my master one 135 00:07:38,100 --> 00:07:41,300 hundred measures of oil was the reply that's a fair bit of money 136 00:07:41,300 --> 00:07:43,100 that appears to be a fair bit of oil. 137 00:07:43,100 --> 00:07:47,100 I should say that it's appears to be around 800 gallons that 138 00:07:47,100 --> 00:07:51,800 this debtor owes the master 800 gallons of oil, but the Stewart 139 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:55,000 says to him in verse 6 here, take your bond or you can 140 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,400 translate that take your bill. Basically that means get out 141 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:00,400 your paperwork where this is written down. 142 00:08:00,500 --> 00:08:01,700 That's what he says to the debtor. 143 00:08:01,700 --> 00:08:05,500 Get out your paperwork now. Sit down the away and write 144 00:08:05,500 --> 00:08:08,600 fifty. So he did owe a hundred measures 145 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,600 of oil but now the steward says cross that out and write 50 146 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,200 instead, he reduces the debt of the man. 147 00:08:16,300 --> 00:08:19,300 He tells the man, the debt to the master has been reduced from 148 00:08:19,300 --> 00:08:22,100 a hundred measures of oil, 250, which is a significant 149 00:08:22,100 --> 00:08:24,400 reduction. Notice, he tells him to do a 150 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:27,100 quickly sit down straight away and do it because he doesn't 151 00:08:27,100 --> 00:08:28,800 want the master to find out what he's doing. 152 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,700 Now, the debtor believes that the steward still works for the 153 00:08:32,700 --> 00:08:36,100 master and the steward. Have that authority to go and 154 00:08:36,100 --> 00:08:38,100 reduce the dipped in the way that he's doing it. 155 00:08:38,100 --> 00:08:42,100 So, from the debtors perspective, he thinks that the 156 00:08:42,100 --> 00:08:44,200 he doesn't realize that the steward is lying. 157 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,400 He thinks that he's literally working on behalf of the master 158 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:52,000 to reduce his debt. So he thinks the Stewart, has 159 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,700 done him a great favor by reducing the debt. 160 00:08:54,900 --> 00:08:57,800 So of course, the debtor is going to be very grateful to the 161 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:01,000 steward. This is what makes this Steward 162 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:02,700 dishonest. Remember the parable is often 163 00:09:02,700 --> 00:09:06,000 called the unrighteous Steward or sometimes dishonest Stewart, 164 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,800 he's a liar. He went to the debtors and he 165 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,400 lied. Claiming that his master was 166 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:13,800 reducing the debt, but in fact, he's not reducing the debt. 167 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:17,100 That's what makes him dishonest. This is the stewards plan. 168 00:09:17,100 --> 00:09:20,300 He's going to make people like him and hopefully they will give 169 00:09:20,300 --> 00:09:22,900 him a place to go now that he's unemployed. 170 00:09:23,300 --> 00:09:26,200 And his plan seems to work pretty well, because in verse 7, 171 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,300 he goes to another one. Another debtor and says sir, how 172 00:09:29,300 --> 00:09:33,500 much D art, one hundred measures of wheat was the reply. 173 00:09:34,300 --> 00:09:37,300 So there will be about 1,000 bushels of wheat, which is a 174 00:09:37,308 --> 00:09:40,200 fair amount. And the steward says here, take 175 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:43,300 your bond and write 80. So he reduces it from a hundred 176 00:09:43,300 --> 00:09:45,500 measures of wheat. 280 measures of wheat. 177 00:09:46,500 --> 00:09:49,500 Now here we have here listed to debtors that he does this for 178 00:09:49,500 --> 00:09:51,100 probably he did it for several of them. 179 00:09:51,900 --> 00:09:55,200 Now at some point the master he is what the Stewart is doing. 180 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,000 He hears that the steward has been going around reducing 181 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,800 everyone's debts even Though, the steward doesn't work for him 182 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,800 anymore. So the master is probably fairly 183 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:06,400 angry, but that's not the initial response that the master 184 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,200 give. So, in verse 8, it says the 185 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:13,200 master praised, the dishonest Steward for his astuteness. 186 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,800 This is one of the weirdest phrases in the parable, the 187 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,000 master praised, the dishonest Steward for his astuteness. 188 00:10:20,300 --> 00:10:24,700 Another translation of a student us is prudence The master, 189 00:10:24,700 --> 00:10:27,500 although the master he's probably annoyed at his servant 190 00:10:27,500 --> 00:10:31,000 the the steward for reducing the debts, he probably is annoyed 191 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,800 but he's also impressed, he's impressed with how clever or how 192 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,600 prudent the Stewart has been. The Stewart has made quite a 193 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,000 smart plan for his future using money. 194 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:45,600 That's why the master can commends the steward. 195 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,300 He's not commended for being dishonest is not commended 196 00:10:48,300 --> 00:10:52,200 because of his specific actions that he did or his or his lying. 197 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:56,100 He's commended for his Prudence in making a plan for his future, 198 00:10:56,100 --> 00:10:58,600 that's what he's commended for. Let's keep that in mind. 199 00:10:59,900 --> 00:11:02,400 And then Jesus says this. So that's basically the end of 200 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,700 the parable. And Jesus now says this for the 201 00:11:05,700 --> 00:11:09,400 children of this world, now you can translate that as the sons 202 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,700 of this age. That basically means worldly 203 00:11:11,700 --> 00:11:13,400 people who are not part of the Kingdom. 204 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:17,300 So, everyday, worldly people. The children of this world are 205 00:11:17,300 --> 00:11:21,700 more astute in dealing with their own kind or more prudent. 206 00:11:21,700 --> 00:11:24,800 You can translate that some translations have this as our. 207 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:26,300 Why is it in their own generation? 208 00:11:26,300 --> 00:11:29,600 So world, this is Jesus teaching here, worldly people. 209 00:11:30,300 --> 00:11:32,800 More clever about worldly Affairs. 210 00:11:33,500 --> 00:11:36,200 Then are the children of light says, Jesus. 211 00:11:36,700 --> 00:11:40,000 It's an interesting phrase, the children of light, this might 212 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,300 sort of Jesus here, might be influenced by particularly the 213 00:11:43,300 --> 00:11:46,100 essence at qumran. The essence often talked about 214 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:48,900 the righteous people being children of light. 215 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,500 It's an interesting phrase so it's a label here that Jesus 216 00:11:52,500 --> 00:11:54,500 gives for Christians. Those in the Kingdom, the 217 00:11:54,500 --> 00:11:57,600 children of light. So the teaching here is the 218 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,400 children of this world, a more prudent in dealing with their 219 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:05,700 own, kind than are the children of light Jesus, who is teaching 220 00:12:05,700 --> 00:12:09,100 that Christians those in the kingdom are not as smart about 221 00:12:09,100 --> 00:12:12,900 how they use in invest their money as our worldly people in 222 00:12:12,900 --> 00:12:15,500 the time of Jesus. Now, that might seem a bit 223 00:12:15,500 --> 00:12:17,000 offensive. Why would Jesus say that? 224 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,800 But he's probably, right? That makes sense. 225 00:12:19,300 --> 00:12:22,700 Because Christians those in the kingdom are supposed to be 226 00:12:22,700 --> 00:12:25,600 somewhat detached from money. So it makes sense that those who 227 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,600 are not Christians Probably wiser and smarter about using 228 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:31,100 money, then Christians are they're more interested in 229 00:12:31,100 --> 00:12:35,100 worldly Affairs than Christians are still. 230 00:12:35,300 --> 00:12:39,000 Jesus is teaching his followers, that there is a place for using 231 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:40,700 money. Well, that's the teaching here, 232 00:12:40,700 --> 00:12:44,100 there is a good use for money. In fact, in Matthew chapter 10, 233 00:12:44,100 --> 00:12:48,400 verse 16, Jesus says, to his disciples be prudent as serpents 234 00:12:48,500 --> 00:12:51,300 and simple as doves. So there are a couple of places 235 00:12:51,300 --> 00:12:54,300 in the gospels where Jesus says be prudent, and this is one of 236 00:12:54,300 --> 00:12:58,100 them he says use money. Well, Well, he gets even more 237 00:12:58,100 --> 00:13:01,600 specific here. So, verse 9 and I tell you, so 238 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,300 we should pay attention here. This is the meaning that Jesus 239 00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:06,500 wants his disciples to take away from the parable. 240 00:13:06,900 --> 00:13:10,300 I tell you use money tainted as it is. 241 00:13:10,900 --> 00:13:14,300 Now some translations have this as unrighteous Mammon but I 242 00:13:14,308 --> 00:13:17,200 think the the lectionary today makes this a bit clearer use 243 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,800 money tainted as it is. So Jesus, he says money is not 244 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:24,800 perfect, but it is useful. Mammon is just an Aramaic word. 245 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:28,300 That means wealth, right? Jesus he says use money tainted, 246 00:13:28,300 --> 00:13:32,500 as it is to win you friends and thus make sure that when it 247 00:13:32,500 --> 00:13:36,900 fails you they will welcome you into the tents of Eternity, or 248 00:13:36,900 --> 00:13:39,900 you can translate that as they may receive you into the Eternal 249 00:13:39,900 --> 00:13:42,800 habitations. So, just as the man in this 250 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:46,000 Parable, the unrighteous Steward made friends so that they 251 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:49,600 welcomed him into their home's. Jesus, he says, be like him, 252 00:13:49,700 --> 00:13:54,600 make friends in quotation marks so that when you no longer have 253 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:57,700 money, when you die, you'll be Be welcomed into the tents of 254 00:13:57,700 --> 00:14:00,600 Eternity. So Jesus here teaches that his 255 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,300 disciples that if they use their money well and particularly what 256 00:14:04,300 --> 00:14:07,800 he probably means here is giving money away to the poor that's 257 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:09,600 probably the primary use of money. 258 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,800 He's thinking of if they make good use of their money, they 259 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:15,700 can form good relationships and produce more servants. 260 00:14:15,700 --> 00:14:18,500 For the kingdom, they can bring about the salvation of their own 261 00:14:18,500 --> 00:14:20,300 souls. He says that elsewhere in Luke 262 00:14:20,700 --> 00:14:25,100 giving away money to the poor brings about salvation and also 263 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,000 they can make friends and Chips and networks, and probably bring 264 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,000 about the salvation of others for the kingdom. 265 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:32,900 Jesus. He says that, if these people 266 00:14:32,900 --> 00:14:36,100 that they give the way the money to, or that they befriend using 267 00:14:36,100 --> 00:14:40,700 their money, if these people that they befriend die before 268 00:14:40,700 --> 00:14:42,500 them. Well, then those people will be 269 00:14:42,500 --> 00:14:44,400 there to welcome them into eternal life. 270 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:45,900 It's quite a beautiful image, isn't it? 271 00:14:45,900 --> 00:14:49,700 You can sort of Imagine giving money to a poor person and that 272 00:14:49,700 --> 00:14:52,400 poor person welcome you into heaven after you die. 273 00:14:53,500 --> 00:14:56,200 Now this of course matches well with what Jesus has taught in 274 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,600 previous chapters of Luke, remember in the sections just 275 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,400 before this, Jesus said you need to give up all your possessions 276 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,500 in order to be my disciple. He actually said that and of 277 00:15:06,500 --> 00:15:09,600 course that's an extension of Jews has orange Jubilee program. 278 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:13,000 If you look at chapter 7, in particular, verses 41, to 42. 279 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,400 We have these themes of giving away money and then also in 280 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:22,200 chapter 12, Jesus says store up treasure in heaven in 12:33. 281 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,700 So all the way. Look, this is theme of using 282 00:15:24,700 --> 00:15:28,300 money, well, focusing on Heaven, rather than just Earthly money. 283 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,600 Interestingly he the Greek word for dwellings or habitations 284 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,000 that they may welcome you into Eternal habitations. 285 00:15:36,300 --> 00:15:39,000 It's the same word that's used to describe the Tabernacles. 286 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,100 In the wilderness. Remember how they dwelt in tents 287 00:15:41,100 --> 00:15:43,900 in the wilderness? So this has become a common 288 00:15:43,900 --> 00:15:47,300 Jewish image for the kingdom of God, when God will dwell among 289 00:15:47,300 --> 00:15:49,400 his people. They actually sort of, saw it as 290 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,900 like, living in many houses in the Kingdom where God will be in 291 00:15:52,900 --> 00:15:55,700 the midst of the people just as he was in the wilderness 292 00:15:55,700 --> 00:15:59,100 wanderings. So, it's an interesting Parable, 293 00:15:59,100 --> 00:16:01,200 isn't it? Might seem strange that Jesus 294 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,300 needs to teach about money, but we should keep in mind that 295 00:16:04,500 --> 00:16:06,900 probably one of the reasons for the teaching is, he's doing it 296 00:16:06,900 --> 00:16:10,300 to contrast with this selfish attitude towards money that the 297 00:16:10,300 --> 00:16:13,100 Pharisees have. So, Jesus main point is that 298 00:16:13,100 --> 00:16:15,700 Christians, those in the Kingdom need to use money. 299 00:16:15,700 --> 00:16:20,000 Well, not selfishly in order to get into eternal life and 300 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,800 primarily for a king people in the Kingdom, that means giving 301 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:26,000 their money away, although not exclusively that, but certainly, 302 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,600 it does involve Jesus teaching, is that those in the Kingdom, 303 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:34,100 need to use their lives and resources as well in order to be 304 00:16:34,100 --> 00:16:37,200 prepared for eternal life. They need to be prudent and 305 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:39,900 generous in their use of money. If they want to be prepared for 306 00:16:39,900 --> 00:16:43,100 eternal life, this interpretation makes sense. 307 00:16:43,100 --> 00:16:46,300 Given the other parables in this same section of Luke, the very 308 00:16:46,300 --> 00:16:50,200 next Parable that Jesus gives very shortly after this is the 309 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:52,000 parable of the rich man and Lazarus. 310 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:56,200 And of course, the point of that Parable is if you just keep all 311 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,300 your rich, Money for yourself and you don't give it away. 312 00:16:58,300 --> 00:17:01,200 You're not going to get into heaven and Luke actually says, 313 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:04,400 in that section of the rich, man and Lazarus, the Pharisees were 314 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:09,000 lovers of money, so we can keep that in mind that he's at this 315 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:12,599 point in his ministry. Jesus is particularly, thinking 316 00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:14,800 of Pharisees who are a bit obsessed with money. 317 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,400 It helps us interpret that this Parable is about the proper use 318 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,000 of money. Now, even given that exegesis, 319 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,000 and I think that's a fairly solid exegesis. 320 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:24,700 I think we're pretty close to the meaning here. 321 00:17:25,099 --> 00:17:27,800 There's still some aspects of the Our bullet might seem a bit 322 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,700 mysterious. For example, you might still be 323 00:17:30,700 --> 00:17:34,700 scratching your head thinking why has Jesus picked a liar and 324 00:17:34,700 --> 00:17:37,400 unrighteous Steward? As someone for his disciples to 325 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,700 model in terms of the way they use money, it seems like a very 326 00:17:40,700 --> 00:17:44,200 strange choice for Jesus to use in the parable. 327 00:17:44,500 --> 00:17:47,400 Because certainly, he doesn't want his followers to be Liars. 328 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,700 That can't be right? So, one thing to keep in mind 329 00:17:50,700 --> 00:17:54,300 here, when interpreting Parables, usually there's one 330 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:56,600 similarity between the figure in the power. 331 00:17:56,700 --> 00:18:00,000 Evil, one main similarity that Jesus wants his disciples to 332 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,000 emulate one personality characteristic. 333 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:04,800 He doesn't want them to be like the person in every single way. 334 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:08,500 In this case, he wants his disciples to be prudent. 335 00:18:09,100 --> 00:18:13,100 Like, the unrighteous Stewart is not them to be Liars. 336 00:18:13,100 --> 00:18:17,000 Like the unrighteous Stuart is. So why has Jesus picked the 337 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,600 unrighteous Stewart as an example in this? 338 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:21,300 Parable, there's two possible reasons. 339 00:18:21,700 --> 00:18:24,600 Maybe he wanted to use a striking example that would help 340 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,900 make the point of use money. Prudently, And if you do, it can 341 00:18:27,900 --> 00:18:29,900 affect your state of life in the future. 342 00:18:30,100 --> 00:18:33,400 Maybe Jesus felt this was the most striking example, he could 343 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,100 use to get that point across and certainly it would have been 344 00:18:36,100 --> 00:18:39,200 quite memorable for them. Some Scholars. 345 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:42,100 Think the Jesus here might also be making an argument from the 346 00:18:42,100 --> 00:18:45,200 Lesser to the greater. He does this sometimes, so maybe 347 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,200 he's saying something like this. If an unrighteous Steward can 348 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:50,900 use his money. Well, then certainly a righteous 349 00:18:50,900 --> 00:18:55,900 follower of Christ can, as well. The unrighteous Steward prepared 350 00:18:55,900 --> 00:19:00,500 for his future and Christians should take even greater care to 351 00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:03,700 prepare for their eternal life. And that sort of reasoning makes 352 00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:06,600 sense as well. We get to verse 10 today and 353 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:10,800 Jesus says the man who can be trusted in little things can be 354 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:14,300 trusted in great. Another translation has it as 355 00:19:14,300 --> 00:19:18,300 he, who is faithful in a very little, is faithful also in 356 00:19:18,300 --> 00:19:21,100 much. So now there's a shift from 357 00:19:21,100 --> 00:19:24,200 being prudent with money to being faithful, there's sort of 358 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:26,500 a slight shift here to being faithful or trustworthy. 359 00:19:26,500 --> 00:19:30,500 The principle that Jesus lays out here the man who can be 360 00:19:30,500 --> 00:19:32,700 trusted in little things can be trusted in great. 361 00:19:32,700 --> 00:19:36,000 This is a general spiritual principle of the moral life and 362 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:39,000 of the spiritual life, those who cooperate with the grace that 363 00:19:39,008 --> 00:19:41,000 God gives them will be given more. 364 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,900 And we believe that as Catholics, we have to cooperate 365 00:19:43,900 --> 00:19:46,800 with God but in this case specifically on the literal 366 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:52,200 level, Jesus is specifically. Into using money, though, symbol 367 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:54,800 who can be trusted in little things as in those who can use 368 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:56,800 money? Well, for the kingdom can be 369 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,500 trusted in great, those who handle money, well, will be 370 00:20:00,500 --> 00:20:02,700 given an even greater rewards in heaven. 371 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,100 So the idea here is use your resources well, on Earth for the 372 00:20:06,108 --> 00:20:09,100 purposes of the kingdom and you'll receive a reward in 373 00:20:09,100 --> 00:20:11,100 heaven. That's the teaching here and 374 00:20:11,100 --> 00:20:13,400 then Jesus flips. It around the man who is 375 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,800 dishonest in little things, will be dishonest in great. 376 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:20,600 So on the other hand, those who can't handle money. 377 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:24,200 Well in this life and use it selfishly, they can't be trusted 378 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:28,100 with their Eternal Rewards. This possibly a would play going 379 00:20:28,100 --> 00:20:31,500 on here because the word Mammon, which is what a lot of 380 00:20:31,508 --> 00:20:34,800 translations use for money. The word Mammon derives from a 381 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:39,000 Hebrew word, meaning that in which one trusts, and here, 382 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:42,600 Jesus is talking about being trustworthy with your money. 383 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:45,300 So he might actually be doing a word play here in the original 384 00:20:45,300 --> 00:20:50,100 Aramaic that he's speaking verse 11, if then you cannot be 385 00:20:50,100 --> 00:20:54,100 trusted with money that tainted thing who will trust you with 386 00:20:54,100 --> 00:20:57,700 genuine riches so Jesus here again, says money. 387 00:20:57,700 --> 00:21:00,000 It's not perfect, but it can be useful. 388 00:21:00,500 --> 00:21:03,200 He says, if you can't be trusted with the way you use money, 389 00:21:03,500 --> 00:21:07,100 who's going to trust you with genuine riches, if we can't 390 00:21:07,100 --> 00:21:10,400 share our money, if we can't use it wisely for the kingdom with, 391 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,400 we're not generous with it then we cannot be trusted with 392 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,300 eternal rewards either. That's Jesus teaching it to his 393 00:21:16,300 --> 00:21:18,900 disciples. It's challenging for us, even 394 00:21:18,900 --> 00:21:22,500 particularly today in our 21st century Society, where we have a 395 00:21:22,500 --> 00:21:25,600 bit of an obsession with money, Jesus, he says, if you can't use 396 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,200 your money, well, For the kingdom, you can't be trusted 397 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:32,500 with eternal rewards in heaven. So the encouragement Jesus is 398 00:21:32,500 --> 00:21:35,500 giving his disciples is for them to plan for their own future. 399 00:21:35,500 --> 00:21:38,700 Just as the steward in the parable, did we have to be 400 00:21:38,700 --> 00:21:41,800 generous with our money? Not be slaves of it if we want 401 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:43,900 to enter eternal life, that's the teaching. 402 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,200 Verse 12. And if you cannot be trusted 403 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:50,000 with what is not yours. Who will give you, what is your 404 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,400 very own? This is an interesting teaching, 405 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:55,000 isn't it here? Jesus teaches that what is 406 00:21:55,300 --> 00:21:57,100 money, is not ours that actually belongs to. 407 00:21:57,100 --> 00:22:00,600 God, ultimately all resources were given in this life, come 408 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:03,400 from God. But on the other hand, there is 409 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,500 something which is our own waiting for us in heaven. 410 00:22:05,500 --> 00:22:09,100 There's a personal inheritance waiting just for us in heaven. 411 00:22:09,500 --> 00:22:12,000 That's quite a beautiful profound teaching, isn't it? 412 00:22:12,500 --> 00:22:16,000 God wants to give us something, which is truly are And that is 413 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:21,100 the reward in heaven, but the teaching is that we if we want 414 00:22:21,100 --> 00:22:24,200 to get that personal reward in heaven, we have to use money. 415 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,400 Well, in this life we have to use our resources. 416 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,700 Well, if we can't use money, well, which does not really 417 00:22:29,700 --> 00:22:32,600 belong to us. Anyway, then God won't give us 418 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:36,100 the reward, Which is far greater and more significant in heaven. 419 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:40,800 Verse 13. No servant can be the slave of 420 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,700 two masters, or you can translate that is, no servant 421 00:22:43,700 --> 00:22:47,200 can serve two masters slave and servant those two words are 422 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:51,100 basically the same in Greek. No servant. 423 00:22:51,100 --> 00:22:53,700 Can be the slave of two masters. You probably heard this teaching 424 00:22:53,700 --> 00:22:56,200 quite a few times. So, what's going on here? 425 00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:00,300 Jesus knows that to really serve a master requires total, 426 00:23:00,300 --> 00:23:04,500 exclusive commitment, having two masters is going to divide one's 427 00:23:04,500 --> 00:23:07,500 loyalties. And in the end, he's going 428 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:09,500 Preferring one master over another. 429 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:13,300 Jesus knows that man has a tendency a psychological 430 00:23:13,300 --> 00:23:16,900 tendency or a spiritual tendency to end up serving something in 431 00:23:16,900 --> 00:23:18,600 this life. It can be God or it can be 432 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,400 something else. Jesus seems to know that we have 433 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:25,400 a tendency to serve things, but he also knows that serving God 434 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:30,000 requires undivided attention. So he says, no servant can be 435 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:33,000 the slave of two masters. He will either hate the first 436 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,200 and love the second or treat. The First with respect, and the 437 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,200 second with score. On or you can translate that 438 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,300 last bit as he will be devoted to the one and despise the 439 00:23:42,300 --> 00:23:45,100 other. The first thing to say here is 440 00:23:45,100 --> 00:23:47,800 hate when he says he will hate the first and love the second. 441 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:49,600 It doesn't mean emotional hatred. 442 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:51,700 He doesn't mean that. If you try to serve two masters, 443 00:23:51,700 --> 00:23:54,200 you're going to end up literally, emotionally hating 444 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:57,000 the other one. That's not the teaching here. 445 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:00,300 Love means to prefer something over another. 446 00:24:00,500 --> 00:24:04,600 So to hate is to prefer something less the teaching 447 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:06,000 here. Then when he says you will 448 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,700 either hate the first and love, the second is man cannot equally 449 00:24:09,700 --> 00:24:11,600 prefer to Ultimate things in life. 450 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:13,700 We can't. Ultimately have to Masters, it's 451 00:24:13,700 --> 00:24:17,400 not going to work, it's not psychologically, possible, his 452 00:24:17,700 --> 00:24:20,600 man, if he tries to have two masters is going to end up 453 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:24,300 prioritizing, one over the other eventually, it will play out 454 00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:28,000 that way and Jesus, he really brings it home by saying, you 455 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:31,900 cannot be the slave of both God and money or you cannot serve, 456 00:24:31,900 --> 00:24:35,000 both God and Mammon. Jesus. 457 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:40,500 He perceives that for men, money can become a master money is 458 00:24:40,500 --> 00:24:43,800 something that has a tendency to suck people in, and it makes 459 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:47,600 people have their lives revolve around money rather than God. 460 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:51,400 There's something about money that has a tendency to make 461 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,000 people revolve their lives around it. 462 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:57,900 So it can become a master for people, we can become enslaved 463 00:24:57,900 --> 00:25:01,700 to our wealth and belongings. And I think we need to hear this 464 00:25:01,700 --> 00:25:03,600 a fresh because this probably speaks to us. 465 00:25:03,700 --> 00:25:05,700 Us. We can end up being constantly 466 00:25:05,700 --> 00:25:08,900 worried about maintaining them or seeking to acquire more. 467 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,100 This is probably speaking to many of you listening to this 468 00:25:12,100 --> 00:25:15,100 podcast today. And Jesus here has words for us 469 00:25:15,100 --> 00:25:18,400 if we end up sort of saying we follow God. 470 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,000 But ultimately what we're really working towards in our life is 471 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:24,700 money and we structure our days in our lives about maintaining 472 00:25:24,700 --> 00:25:28,000 money getting more money than ultimately money is our Master. 473 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:29,600 That's what Jesus is saying here. 474 00:25:30,700 --> 00:25:33,400 And Jesus has a warning here. He says to those who believe 475 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:36,500 that they can serve both God and money and probably that's what 476 00:25:36,500 --> 00:25:39,100 the Pharisees thought. Jesus tells them that they're 477 00:25:39,100 --> 00:25:41,200 wrong. You cannot serve, both God and 478 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:42,900 money. Even if you think you can, you 479 00:25:42,900 --> 00:25:45,600 can't, you're going to end up referring one over the other. 480 00:25:46,900 --> 00:25:50,800 And Jesus wants his followers to prefer God, he doesn't want his 481 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,700 followers to become slaves to money like the Pharisees had. 482 00:25:55,100 --> 00:25:57,600 So from here, there is a little bit more to this particular 483 00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,900 story. When we get to hear the 484 00:25:59,900 --> 00:26:03,400 Pharisees reaction to what Jesus has just said, that's not in 485 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:05,200 today's reading though. So if you want to hear how the 486 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:09,900 Pharisees react to this, you can hear it on Saturday of week, 31 487 00:26:09,900 --> 00:26:13,500 in ordinary time. So, we'll finish the today with 488 00:26:13,500 --> 00:26:16,600 just two paragraphs from the catechism, and these are fairly 489 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:20,400 direct paragraphs about Christians, use of money. 490 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:25,300 So, paragraph, nine five, two, They had everything in common 491 00:26:25,500 --> 00:26:27,800 everything. The true Christian has is to be 492 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:31,600 regarded as a good possessed in common with everyone else. 493 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:35,600 All Christians should be ready and eager to come to the help of 494 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:38,600 the needy and of their neighbors in want. 495 00:26:38,700 --> 00:26:43,200 A Christian is a steward of the Lord's goods and that last line 496 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,200 there. A Christian is a steward of the 497 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:48,000 Lord's Goods directly references, what we've seen 498 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:49,500 here. The parable of the unrighteous 499 00:26:49,500 --> 00:26:51,000 Steward that's kind of the point. 500 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,300 Jesus is making a Christian is a steward. 501 00:26:53,700 --> 00:26:55,600 Of money, and I need to make sure that use it. 502 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:59,700 Well, if they want to inherit eternal life paragraph 2, for 2, 503 00:26:59,700 --> 00:27:02,700 for this is in the section about the social doctrine of the 504 00:27:02,700 --> 00:27:05,700 church. A theory that makes profit, the 505 00:27:05,708 --> 00:27:08,300 exclusive Norman ultimate end of economic. 506 00:27:08,300 --> 00:27:11,700 Activity is morally unacceptable, the disordered 507 00:27:11,700 --> 00:27:15,900 desire for money cannot but produce perverse effects. 508 00:27:16,100 --> 00:27:19,900 It is one of the causes of the many conflicts, which disturb 509 00:27:19,900 --> 00:27:22,800 the social order. So some fairly strong language 510 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:26,400 there about particular economic systems and I'll include both of 511 00:27:26,408 --> 00:27:28,400 those paragraphs in the show notes. 512 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:30,600 Thanks for your support of the ministry. 513 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:31,800 I hope you've learned something new. 514 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:35,100 This is a difficult passage, but I hope that today's exegesis has 515 00:27:35,100 --> 00:27:37,700 helped you understand what Jesus was trying to get up? 516 00:27:37,900 --> 00:27:40,300 If you think there's others in your life, who would benefit 517 00:27:40,300 --> 00:27:43,700 from hearing this podcast, please share it with them and 518 00:27:43,700 --> 00:27:46,400 will continue to look at the gospels in the coming days.